Raw plastics manufacturers produce a liquid product that is extruded in a tubular form from an extruder. The product is extruded under water and then cut into small pieces, tending to form generally spherically shaped particles or beads as it cools. This plastic bead/water slurry is then transported to a dryer to remove the water from the plastic product so that the product can be shipped to other manufacturers to manufacture useful products.
Before shipment, the raw plastic product must be dried. This has been accomplished in the past with the use of centrifugal dryers. Such dryers are known in the art. Typically such dryers force water from the product by striking the water-laden product against a screen, forcing the water through the screen and into a water collection space, thus allowing gravity to drive the water downwardly into a water basket and out of the dryer system through a drain pipe.
These known systems, however, may include a “dried” product that may have an unacceptable level moisture at the end of the process and require further drying to meet the requisite specification. This is due to a significant amount of spray in the water removal space which may result in some water being reintroduced into the product and an increase in the humidity level of the internal dryer air. In general, the known dryer is relatively inefficient and, as a result, has a capacity which may be greatly improved. An improved centrifugal dryer is needed to increase both the drying efficiency and drying capacity.
The present invention accomplishes these goals.